What Decade You’re Living In, According to Your Facial Hair

Every decade has its style, whether it’s top hats and monocles or parachute pants and Airwalks. Facial hair is no different. Every mutton chop, soul patch, and handlebar mustache belongs to its own special time—and just because these guys belong in the modern decade doesn’t mean their beards do. Here are 13 modern men with decade-specific facial fuzz. Where does yours belong?

1860: THE CHIN CURTAIN

Before the Civil War, gents favored a clean shave. In fact, Abe Lincoln was the first bearded president. With him came the “chin curtain,” a beard that starts just above your jaw line and goes straight down. Abe made his extra chin-y by wearing it without a mustache, and to be perfectly honest, no one has pulled it off since.

1870: SENSATIONAL SIDEBURNS

The face-flanking beasts known as sideburns didn’t get their name until the spectacularly scruffy Civil War general Ambrose Burnside rose to fame. His cottony white cheek fluff grew to magnificent length and connected over his lip, leaving his chin bare. It’s a look that makes a man look like a zany inventor—or a meme.

Thanks to history’s two hairiest presidents—Rutherford Hayes and, briefly, James Garfield—the last part of the century was a beard-growin’ free-for-all. In this bushy period, long before the invention of the electric clipper, facial hair was allowed to be free. There is a strong possibility that your facial hair right now is nostalgic for this era.

1900/10: THE HANDLEBAR MUSTACHE

Thanks to history’s two hairiest presidents—Rutherford Hayes and, briefly, James Garfield—the last part of the century was a beard-growin’ free-for-all. In this bushy period, long before the invention of the electric clipper, facial hair was allowed to be free. There is a strong possibility that your facial hair right now is nostalgic for this era.

1920: THE DISTINGUISHED UNCLE

While the young gents of the roaring ‘20s were ducking in and out of speakeasies, full beards made a comeback on a distinguished set of older gents. Think snowy-haired industrialists and railroad tycoons. Or Harrison Ford in one of his don’t-be-fooled-by-the-gray-I-can-still-knock-you-out phases.

First there was the Charlie Chaplin mustache—also known as the “toothbrush mustache” because it was about the size and shape of a toothbrush. Let’s not talk about that one. It went out of fashion hard. Then came the “pencil mustache,” popularized by Clark Gable. This thin strip across the upper lip stays out of the way of the nose, and looks down upon heavier mustaches.

1940/50: BIRTH OF THE GOATEE

Dizzy Gillespie brought in the soul patch, and the Beatnik movement birthed the goatee. The early look was neat and thin—think of it as a natural outgrowth of the pencil mustache. An outgrowth that could be thoughtfully stroked in a smoky jazz club.